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Monday, 7 January 2013

Antichrist...

"every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess...this is the spirit of the antichrist,.." 1John 4:2-3

Reading
1John 4:1-21

When we talk about Antichrist what immediately pops up in our mind is images of a movie or 666 or some terrifying sermon that some Pastor preached from the Book of Revelation. Here we have a clear indication of who an Antichrist and also a distinction of Spirit from God and the Spirit of Error (1John 4:6). And moreover the reading shows that the spirit of Antichrist is already in the world (1John 4:3). Moreover this passage helps us to identify the Antichrist. So, who is this Antichrist? the answer is anyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in flesh is Antichrist. Anyone who does not accept or believe the fact that Jesus Christ did not come in flesh is Antichrist. Why is it so important to believe that Jesus Christ came in flesh?

It is easier to give a salvific (soteriological) answer, that we need to believe because he came in flesh to forgive our sins, which is true. However, for Indian context, there is a deeper implication of incarnation of Jesus Christ. The very act of Son of God taking on human form and participating in humanity is making humanity participate in divinity, making all humanity (flesh) sacred (image of God). Athanasius remarked "[the Word] was made man that we might be made God.."

If we truly believe that Jesus Christ came in flesh (human form) then his very participation in humanity has made all humans divine. How then can one who confesses to believe in Christ can believe in "caste-system" which divides and (de)grades people. Antichrist here is one who believes there is pollution and grading in human birth according to "caste-system" (varnashrama dharma). We cannot believe in incarnation of Christ and believe in "caste". We cannot participate in the body of Christ (eucharist) which is uniting and then divide that body in view of "caste-system". If we do that we are the Antichrist, liars and spirit of error and the Spirit of God is not in us we are not to be called as Children of God. It is a sad and sorrowful situation that Church and the so-called "Christians" still practice "caste". Antichrist's are within.